Pedal jack



July 1931- 1.. E. ussia-iii, JR.) ET AL 19813326 PEDAL Max 2 Filed Jan.21, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 7, 1931. L. E. RUSSELL, JR., ET AL1,813,426

' PEDAL JACK I Filed Jar}: 21. 1929 2 sheet -sheet .2

Patented July 7, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LINUS E; RUSSELL, JR.,ANDGEORGE E. PETERS, O1 SPRINGFIELD, OHIO PEDAL JACK Application filedJanuary 21, 1929.

This invention relates to an adjustable spacer or pressure jack andparticularly to such device of the toggle'joint type.

The present device has been primarily designed for use as a pedal jackfor depressing and holding in operative position the brake pedal of amotor vehicle while the wheel brakes, particularly brakes of thefourwh-eel pidity of operation and accuracy of adjustment, there iscontemplated in the present invention a spacer jack comprising a pairof'inter-pivoted arms forming a toggle joint. One of the arms ispreferably extensible and contractible to accommodate the device to awide range of adjustment. Locking means is provided for securing theextension section of such arm in its adjusted position. At the same timeadditional locking or clutch means is provided for holding theinterpivoted arms in any intermediate position within their range ofrelative angular adjustment. In the present case this locking meansconsists of a ratchet head carried by one member and a detent pawlcarried by the other member and engaging such head. While the presentspacer jack has been illustrated and will be described in itsapplication to the brake pedal of a motor vehicle, it is not limited tosuch use, but may be employed for various other purposes such as bracingtribbing in trenches, holding concrete forms, and for bracing orsupportingvarious structures, particularly in such applications Where itis desirable that an ad justable brace or support may be quickly andeasily applied and removed.

The object of the invention is to simplify the structure as well as themeans and mode of operation of adjustable braces or spacer brace.

Serial No. 334,062.

jacks whereby they will not only be cheapened in construction, but willbe more efficient in use, positive in operation, uniform in action,capable of being easily and quickly adjusted, and unlikely to get out ofrepair.

A further object of the invention is to provide a brace or spacer memberhaving a comparatively wide range of adjustability.

A further and important object of the invention is to provide anadjustable spacer jack or brace member which will be convenient andprovided with a suitable handle affording increased leverage in applyingthe brace or jack. 7

A further object of the invention is to provide such brace or spacerjack having an extendible and contractible arm and improved means forautomatically locking such arm against retraction.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved locking meansfor maintaining the interpivoted members of the toggle device in theiradjusted position. i

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view, as willmore fully appear in the specification, the invention consists of thefeaturesof construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and themode of operation of their equivalents as hereinafter described and setforth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein is shown the preferred butobviouslynot necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention,,Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the adjustable spacer jack or bracemember, forming the subject matter hereof, applied to the clutch pedalof a motor vehicle, showing by dotted lines its operated position. Fig.2 is an enlarged detail view. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail viewembodying modification.

Fig. 4 is an end View of the structure shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sideelevation of a further modification. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal detailsection of the extensible arm of the Figs. 7 and 8 are side and endelevations respectively of a further modification.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughoutthe several views.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 indicates the seat of a motor vehicle ofwhich 2 is the floor board and 3 the brake pedal. The present spacerjack is adapted to abut at one end upon the seat 1 of the vehicle, andat its opposite end upon the brake pedal 3. By adjustment of the togglejack toward its aligned position pressure is applied to the brake pedal3 to depress the pedal and hold it in such depressed position.

The jack comprises two interpivoted arms. The arm 4 consists of parallelspaced bars separated by intermediate spacers 5. The free ends of suchbars are preferably though not necessarily outturned at 6 to afford afoot or rest for engagement with an abutment. At its opposite end thearm 4 is pivoted at 7 to the coacting arm of the toggle jack whichconsists of a tubular section 8 in which is te'lescopically mounted forlongitudinal extension and contraction, an extension rod 9. The end ofthe rod 9, which forms the effective portion of the second toggle arm,is formed at its head 10 to agree with the member to be engaged, whichin this case is the head of the brake pedal 3. Obviously, if the jack isto en age a. flat surface, as for example a cribbing plank or a concretetorin, the head 10 would be correspondingly formed with a. comparativelyfiat bearing surface. The tubular portion 8 extends in reverse directionbeyond the pivotal connection 7 to provide a suitable handle affordinincreased leverage for deflecting the toggle joint.

lVhile any suitable or convenient formof locking device or clutch may beemployed for holding the rod 9 in its extended position and preventingretractive movement when js'ubje'ctedto pressure, the referred method isto providein the side of the rod 9, a series of ratchet teeth 11. Theseratchet teeth 11 are engaged by the free end of a spring pawl or detent12 secured to the side or the tubular section 8 and extending through alateral slot or opening therein into engagement with the rod 9. Thispermits the rod to be with drawn 'or extended to any desired degree inwhich case the ratchet teeth 11 will ride freely beneath the springdetent 12 However, when it is desired to return the rod 9, such rod isgiven a partial rotation which moves the ratchet teeth 11 transverselyout 01 registry with the detent 12 which then rides upon asmooth,tin-notched portion oi the rod, permitting the rod to be retractedwithout interference of the detentwi'th the ratchet teeth.

if desired, the teeth 11 instead of being inclined ratchet teeth, may beformed by kerrs or notches in the side or the rod 9 having perpendicularsides within which the spring detent 12 will engage to prevent themovement of the rod in either direction. In such case, the rod isdisconnected for adjustment to extended position as well retraction by apartial rotation whereby the notched area is shifted transversely out ofregistry with the detent, and when the proper adjusted position has beenreached, it is reengaged by a return rotation, whereby such selectednotch is brought into registry with the detent 12 for engagement of thedetent therein. Other forms of clutch or locking means may be employedin lieu of that described.

Concentric with the pivotal center 7 of the arm 4, is a notched segment13 having a series of ratchet teeth 14 to be engaged by a spring detentor pawl 15, mounted within the arm 4. Such locking detent 15 isslidingly mounted in slots 16 in the parallel spaced bars forming thearm 4, and is actu ated into engagement with the ratchet segment by anhelical sp'rihgl'f abutting at one end upon such detent 'pawl, and atits opposite end upon one of the intermediate spacers 5. The ratchetteeth 14 are turned in such position that the detent pawls 15 will ridefreely over such teeth as the tog le jack is adjusted toward its alignedposition. How: ever the engagement of suclidetent pawl with the ratchetteeth will effectively lock the arms of the toggle against returnmovement.

Thus when the jack is initially positioned, as shown in Fig. 1, with thefree end of the arm 4 abutting upon the seat 1 of the vehicle and thehead 10 of the extension rod 9 abutting upon the pedal 3, and thetubular handle portion 8 is then depressed causing the toggle to assumea more nearly aligned position, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1,considerable pressure is exerted upon the pedal 3, which is therebydepressed, and inasmuch as the detent pawl 15 by its engagement with theratchet teeth 14 looks the jack in such operated position, the pedal isheld depressed.

Inasmuch as the elongation of the jack is much greater for each degreeof deflection when the toggle arms are in an angular position, and suchelongation decreasing as they approach alignment, the ratchet teeth 14may be made of gradually increasing proportion, as indicated in Fig. 2.By this means, the degree "of elongation for each ratchet toothtraversed by the detent 15 is more nearly, equalized. That is to say, inthe movement necessary to move the dete'nt 15 from one tooth. to theother at the initial end of the ratchet segment, an elongating movementof the toggle will be effected to a degree substantially equivalent tothat achieved by a movement from one to the other of the lar er-teeth atthe final terminal of th'e'ratchet segment.

Inasmuch as the jack must be repeatedly adjustedto the same degree oroperated to effect a like depression of the pedal repeatedly whenadjusting fourwlie'el brakes, it is desirable, though not necessary, toprovide an adjustable stop which willp'ositively limit the adjustment ofthe toggle arm when a predetermined degree of adjustment has beenreached. In Fig. 3 there is shown a segment 18 pivoted on the center 7concentric with the arm 4 and having a lug 19 overhanging such arm andforming a stop therefor. The

stop segment 18 contains a concentric slot 20 in which engages a clampscrew 21. Normally this segment is free to move to and fro with .the arm4:- However when thetoggle jack has been adjusted to its desiredposition, the clamp screw 21 is tightened thereby locking the segment 18in its adjusted position corresponding to the position of the arm 4-.Thereafter in adjusting the jack for the remaining wheel brake, the jackis merely depressed until its aligning movement is arrested by theengagement of the arm with the stop lug 19. An ordinary adjustable stopscrew may be substituted for the swinging segment.

' There is also shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a modification of the lockingclutch for the extensible rod 9 of the second toggle member. In thisconstruction, the head of the member 8 to which the arm 4 is pivoted, isprovided with a T-shaped lug 22 which forms a fulcrum for a bifurcatedlocking plate 23. This locking plate 23 has therein a hole slightlylarger than the rod 9 through which the rod extends. At its lower end,the locking plate is subjected to the pressure of a spring 25 seatedwithin the head of the member 8 and bearing upon the bifurcatedextremity of the plate 23. The spring tension upon the plate 23 causesthe margins of the hole 24 therein to bind upon the rod 9 and therebyprevent retractive movement of the rod into the tubular portion 8.However the rod is free to be withdrawn from the portion 8 past theplate 23 which offers no resistance to movement in the outwarddirection.

In lieu of pivoting the arm 4 to the forward end of the section 8, itmay be pivotally attached to the opposite end of such member as shown inFig. 5. Likewise, Fig. 5 shows a reversal of the mounting of the ratchetsegment and detent pawl. In the form of device shown in Fig. 5, theratchet segment 13 is carried by the arm 4, while the detent pawl 15 isspring mounted in a lug 27 projecting from the section 8. The operationand result, however, are the same as before described.

In Figs. 7 and 8 there is shown a further modification wherein a detentplate 25, having an opening therein through which extends the toothedrod 9, is pivoted at 26 to the main member 8. The plate 25 is oscillatedtransversely of the rod 9 by a spring plunger 28 engaging the plate 25beyond its pivotal portion. The margin of the opening in the detentplate is projected into engagement with the ratchet teeth by thereaction of such spring plunger.

more or less specific as to structural features,

it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificdetails shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosedcomprise the preferred form of several modes of putting the inventioninto effect and the invention is, therefore,'claimed in any of its formsor modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim 1. In a spacer jack of thecharacter described, a pair of arms interpivoted for unison oscillationand forming a toggle joint, one of said arms comprising twotelescopically adjustable sections, a series of ratchet teeth carried byone section of said arm and a detent pawl carried by the other sectionof the arm and engaging with the ratchet teeth to normally resistretraction of the telescopic arm but permitting free extension thereof,and a series of ratchet teeth carried by one of said interpivoted armsand a detent pawl carried by the other arm and engaging with the ratchetteeth permitting free adjustment of the arms toward alignedposition, butnormally resisting relative adjustment in reverse direction. 7

2. In a spacer jack of the character described, two interpivoted armsforming a toggle joint, one of the arms comprising two longitudinallyadjustable sections also capable of relative transverse motion, clutchmeans for maintaining said sections in various positions of longitudinaladjustment upon relative transverse motion of the sections, andclutc'hmeans operable independently of said first mentioned clutch meansfor maintaining said arms in variouspositionsof relative angularadjustment.

8. In a spacer jack or the like, a pair of arms interpivoted for unisonoscillation and forming a toggle oint, a ratchet head carried by one armand a detent carried by the other arm for holding the arms in variouspositions of angular adjustment, the ratchet teeth. of said ratchet.head being of progressively varying size. i

4. A spacer jack comprising a pair of interpivoted arms forming atoggle, and a stop member adjustable independently of the arms forlimiting their approach toward aligned position.

5. A spacer jack of the type described, comprising a pair'of armsinterpivoted for unison oscillation and forming a toggle oint, one or"the arms being longitudinally extensible and contractible, and means forlooking the arms in different positions of relative angular adjustment.

6. A spacer jack of the character described comprising a pair of armsinterpivoted for unison oscillation and forming a toggle joint, aratchet head carried by one of the arms, and a detent pawl carried bythe other arm and engaging the ratchet head for retaining the arms intheir relatively adjusted position.

"7. A spacer jack of the character described, a pair of armsinterpivoted tor unison oscillation and forming a toggle oint, one ofthe arms being extensible and conira'ctible, a ratchet segment carriedby one of the arms and a pawl carried by the other arm progressivelyengaging the ratchet segment as the arms are adjusted toward alignedposition and operating to hold the arms in any intermediate position ofadjustment against return movement.

8. A spacer jack of the character described comprising a' pair of armsinterpivoted for unison oscillation and forming a toggle joint, one ofsaid arms comprising two longitudinally adjustable sections whereby thearm may be lengthened and shortened, a pawl and ratchet connection formaintaining the sections of the arm in different intermediate positionsof relative adjustment, and means for interlocking the pivotallyconnected arms in different intermediate positions of adjustment.

9. A spacer ack of the character described comprising a pair of armsinterpivoted for unison oscillation and forming a toggle oint, alongitudinally adjustable extension for one of said arms, and clutchmeans permitting the extension to be freely adjusted to extend said armbut normally resisting return movement thereof, and clutch meanspermitting relative adjustment of the interpivoted arms toward alignedposition but normally resisting return movement thereof.

10. A spacer jack of the character described comprising a pair of armsinterpivoted for unison oscillation and clutch means for maintaining thearms in various positions of relatively angular adjustment permittingfree movement of said arms toward aligned position but normallyresisting reverse adju'stment.

11. In a spacer jack or the like, a pair of interpivoted arms forming atoggle joint, one of said arms extending in reverse direction beyond thepivotal joint but in alignment with the efiective portion of the arm toafford a handle for adjustment of said arms, and means for maintainingthe arms in different intermediate positions of relative adjustment.

12. In a spacer jack or the like, a pair of interpivoted arms, one ofthe arms being pivoted to the other at a midlength point, whereby oneportion of such arm is effective for toggle action, while the portion ofthe arm beyond the pivotal point and overhanging the other arm affords ahandle portion of adjustment of the toggle, and locking means permittingthe approach of the arms toward alignment, but preventing retrogrademovement. 7

13. In a spacer ack or the like, a tubular handle section, an armpivotally connected thereto adjacent to one end, a rod telescopicallyadjustable within the handle section to extend a greater or lessdistance beyond the pivotal connection and forming with the said arm atoggle joint, means for locking the rod relative to the handle indifferent extended positions, and means for locking the handle and armin their pivotally adjustable position relative to each other. v

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands this 15th day ofJanuary A. D.

LINUS E. RUSSELL, JR. GEORGE E. PETERS.

